Rail-joint plate and car-replacer



A. W. LEWIS. RAIL JOINT PLATE AND ,GAR REPLAGER. No. 600,728. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

NTTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ARTHUR VALTER LEWVIS, OF CRAWFORD, MISSISSIPPI.

RAIL-JOINT PLATE AND CAR-REPLACER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,728, dated March 15, 1898.

Application filed November 20, 1897. Serial No. 659,279. (No model.)

of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway rail-joints and devices for replacing cars when derailed; and it consists in the provision of oval beveled plates which are used in place of the ordinary fishplates at the meeting ends of rails, and hence are always available for use in replacing a car which has been derailed.

More specifically the invention resides in the provision of removable car-replacing plates which are oval on one side and which are adapted to be held by means of a suitable clamping device to the ends of the rails, thus serving as fish-plates, and when removed from the rails may be utilized by being held to a plank in a row, thus forming means for replacing a car which has been derailed at one side of the track. i

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists, further, in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved railcoupling and car-replacing plate as secured to the meeting ends of two rails. Fi 2 is a vertical cross-section through the plate and one of the rails, showing the manner of the adjustment of parts.- Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View of one of the beveled rail-joint plates and car-replacing members.

Fig. i is a plan view showing the car-replacing plates detached from the rails and applied to planks for the purpose of forming a track up which a car which has been derailed may be replaced on the tracks.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A A designate the rails, and B is an angle-plate of the shape shown, which is adapted to conform to the flange and the web of the rail proper, while on the opposite side is a rail-engaging member G, which is recessed out near its lower end in such a shape as to receive one side of the flange of the lower end of the rail, and by means of said member C and plate B the rails may be securely held together when the clam ping attachment is secured thereto. On the outer side of the member C are adapted to be held the plates D, which plates D are recessed out on their inner face, as at D, which recesses are provided to receive the said member O, the outer face of each of the said plates D being convexed for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The plates D are held to the members 0 and plates B by means of the clamping devices E, each of which consists of an L-shaped member having apertures e at one end, and an angle-plate F, which is of such a shape as to fit over the angle-plate B in the manner clearly illustrated in the drawings. After the plate F is adjusted in place and the shank of the clamp member E passed through the elongated aperture in said plate F a retaining-pin F is inserted through one of the apertures 6, adjacent to the said plate, thus securely holding the parts in place. The said member E is held in place and guided in an aperture through an extended portion G on the under side of themember O, as clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

When it is desired to utilize the plates D for replacing a car which has been thrown off from the rails, a number of the plates D may be easily and quickly removed from the rails by first removing the clamping devices, and the said plates thus removed may be placed with their convex surfaces upward on the broad faces of planks K, thus making up a track in a broken series of plates, as illustrated in Fig. 4. These plates are disposed along the planks a suitable distance apart, and by this arrangement it will be noted that a car may be gradually Worked back on the track by degrees, each pair of plates which are oppositely disposed being adapted to hold the purchase, as will be readily understood. Each of the said plates D is provided, preferably, with a lug 01, whereby the plates are prevented from slipping when they are arranged on planks, as above described. After a car has been worked up the incline and back to the tracks the said plates may be readily returned to their places on the rail-joints.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination in a railway-joint, the rails,

the plate B bearing against the webs and flanges of said rails on one side thereof, the member 0 bearing against the opposite sides of the rails, the plate D havinga recessed portion fitted over the said member 0, the angleplate F and the clamp E guided in a slotted extension G of the member 0, and means for locking the parts together, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR WALTER LEWIS.

Witnesses:

TOM W. CRIGLER, EARLE O. HALBERT. 

